In June, Shawnee Public
Schools science teacher Cheyenne Branscum flew to Washington D.C.
as Oklahoma's only recipient of a Society for Science and the Public
grant. The society invited Branscum, a Tribal member and Melot family
descendant, to its advocate training institute. There she met fellow
educators from across the nation, exchanging ideas and best practices
on how to increase minority student participation in science, technology,
engineering and mathematics.
Branscum's association
with the Society for Science and the Public began last year while
she supported four of her middle school students who entered National
Geographic's GeoChallenge competition.
|
Tribal
member Cheyenne Branscum (far right) is the coach of the Shawnee
Geo Team.
|
"Their project was the
only one in Oklahoma to advance to regionals, and we got to take
them to Dallas to compete," Branscum said. "Those four students
inspired me to apply for this grant. Seeing them represent not just
Shawnee but our entire state made me feel like I needed to reach
higher too."
The SSP approved Branscum's
application, making her the only advocate from Oklahoma in this
year's class. The grant's benefits to her students and her own professional
development rose above what she imagined before applying.
"I have been nothing
but impressed with everything they do," Branscum said. "They are
not only responsible for science fairs in high schools and middle
schools, but they also provide other grants and provide Science
News free to any high school teacher."
Following the conference,
the Shawnee Middle School educator refocused on finding opportunities
for Native American students to participate in STEM competitions
such as the Google Science Fair and SeaPerch, an underwater robotics
program. Fifteen students comprise this year's Shawnee Geo Team,
approximately 50 percent of whom are Native.
"Our first outing will
be to the Tulsa STEM Expo where the Geo Team will get to meet with
more than 50 STEM-related companies," Branscum said. "I am hoping
this sparks some deep thinking and inspiration for their own projects.
They will also be entering into a competition there where they are
creating a clock using recycled materials that runs on wind power."
As for the four students
who initially inspired Branscum, they will present their project
research this spring at the GeoTech Conference at Bishop Dunne Catholic
High School in Dallas, Texas.
"This is a heavily attended
conference that attracts internationally famous scientists like
Jane Goodall," Branscum said. "They are working on how to tackle
the ever-growing problem of plastics."
While the society's grant
covers some materials and transportation costs, Branscum and her
students are in search for additional monetary sources for competition
entrance fees. The team's needs remain unmet by tight budgets, a
familiar scenario across many Oklahoma schools. As her students'
reputation grows throughout the region, Branscum hopes to find funding
capable of matching their impressive pedigree.
"I wish Oklahoma was
as funded as the schools we go against in states like Texas, but
my students have already proven that Shawnee is unstoppable," she
said.
To help support the Shawnee
Geo Team, please visit donorschoose.org/branscum.
Society
for Science & the Public
Society for Science & the Public (Society) is a champion for
science, dedicated to expanding scientific literacy, effective STEM
education and scientific research. We are a nonprofit 501(c)(3)
membership organization focused on promoting the understanding and
appreciation of science and the vital role it plays in human advancement:
to inform, educate, and inspire.
https://www.societyforscience.org
|